Leviticus 22
Leviticus 22 deals with the holiness of priests and the acceptability of offerings brought to God. Verses 1–16 explain who may eat the holy offerings and under what conditions. Verses 17–33 set standards for animals brought as offerings, emphasizing that what is offered to God must be whole and without blemish.
1verseThe LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
2verse“Tell Aaron and his sons to separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, which they make holy to me, and that they not profane my holy name. I am the LORD.
3verse“Tell them, ‘If anyone of all your offspring throughout your generations approaches the holy things which the children of Israel make holy to the LORD, having his uncleanness on him, that soul shall be cut off from before me. I am the LORD.
4verse“‘Whoever of the offspring of Aaron is a leper or has a discharge shall not eat of the holy things until he is clean. Whoever touches anything that is unclean by the dead, or a man who has a seminal emission,
5verseor whoever touches any creeping thing by which he may be made unclean, or a man from whom he may become unclean, whatever uncleanness he has—
6versethe person that touches any such shall be unclean until the evening, and shall not eat of the holy things unless he bathes his body in water.
7verseWhen the sun is down, he shall be clean; and afterward he shall eat of the holy things, because it is his bread.
8verseHe shall not eat that which dies of itself or is torn by animals, defiling himself by it. I am the LORD.
9verse“‘They shall therefore follow my commandment, lest they bear sin for it and die in it, if they profane it. I am the LORD who sanctifies them.
10verse“‘No stranger shall eat of the holy thing: a foreigner living with the priests, or a hired servant, shall not eat of the holy thing.
11verseBut if a priest buys a slave, purchased by his money, he shall eat of it; and those who are born in his house shall eat of his bread.
12verseIf a priest’s daughter is married to an outsider, she shall not eat of the heave offering of the holy things.
13verseBut if a priest’s daughter is a widow, or divorced, and has no child, and has returned to her father’s house as in her youth, she may eat of her father’s bread; but no stranger shall eat any of it.
14verse“‘If a man eats something holy unwittingly, then he shall add the fifth part of its value to it, and shall give the holy thing to the priest.
15verseThe priests shall not profane the holy things of the children of Israel, which they offer to the LORD,
16verseand so cause them to bear the iniquity that brings guilt when they eat their holy things; for I am the LORD who sanctifies them.’”
17verseThe LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
18verse“Speak to Aaron, and to his sons, and to all the children of Israel, and say to them, ‘Whoever is of the house of Israel, or of the foreigners in Israel, who offers his offering, whether it is any of their vows or any of their free will offerings, which they offer to the LORD for a burnt offering:
19versethat you may be accepted, you shall offer a male without defect, of the bulls, of the sheep, or of the goats.
20verseBut you shall not offer whatever has a defect, for it shall not be acceptable for you.
21verseWhoever offers a sacrifice of peace offerings to the LORD to accomplish a vow, or for a free will offering of the herd or of the flock, it shall be perfect to be accepted. It shall have no defect.
22verseYou shall not offer what is blind, is injured, is maimed, has a wart, is festering, or has a running sore to the LORD, nor make an offering by fire of them on the altar to the LORD.
23verseEither a bull or a lamb that has any deformity or lacking in his parts, that you may offer for a free will offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted.
24verseYou must not offer to the LORD that which has its testicles bruised, crushed, broken, or cut. You must not do this in your land.
25verseYou must not offer any of these as the bread of your God from the hand of a foreigner, because their corruption is in them. There is a defect in them. They shall not be accepted for you.’”
26verseThe LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
27verse“When a bull, a sheep, or a goat is born, it shall remain seven days with its mother. From the eighth day on it shall be accepted for the offering of an offering made by fire to the LORD.
28verseWhether it is a cow or ewe, you shall not kill it and its young both in one day.
29verse“When you sacrifice a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the LORD, you shall sacrifice it so that you may be accepted.
30verseIt shall be eaten on the same day; you shall leave none of it until the morning. I am the LORD.
31verse“Therefore you shall keep my commandments, and do them. I am the LORD.
32verseYou shall not profane my holy name, but I will be made holy among the children of Israel. I am the LORD who makes you holy,
33versewho brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God. I am the LORD.”
Regulations for Priests and Holy Offerings
The first half of the chapter repeatedly stresses that priests must not profane the holy things of Israel. A priest who is ritually unclean must not eat holy food until he is cleansed. The chapter also clarifies which members of a priestly household may eat the holy portions and which people may not.
The Meaning of Wholeness in the Offering
The latter half commands that animals brought for burnt offerings, vow offerings, and freewill offerings must be without defect. God is not honored by careless or defective offerings. The point is not mere external perfection, but reverence: what is brought to God should reflect sincerity, honor, and covenant faithfulness.
Meditation Points
- Holiness: The chapter prompts us to remember that those who belong to God must approach Him with reverence.
- Attitude in offering: Worship and devotion should not be leftovers; they should express our best and our truthfulness before God.
Apply It to Yourself
- Reflect on the attitude with which I bring worship, time, possessions, and service to God.
- Check whether my worship and daily life are marked by holiness, honesty, and wholehearted devotion.